After the War by Patricia Fenton

The sequel to War Bride, this new novel follows the lives of Welsh Evie and her Kiwi husband Frank, who married during wartime in Britain. But now that the war is over, they plan to start a new life in the rural Bay of Plenty in New Zealand. But there are numerous obstacles to overcome. They are forced to travel separately, many months apart, and their journeys are slow and laborious. When she arrives, Evie is desperately homesick, and moving in with her husband’s family is challenging when his mother and sisters treat her with contempt.

But things look up for the young couple when they move to their own cottage, albeit rundown and in need of a lot of work to make it livable. But there are other challenges to face together, as they try to make a living farming, and for Evie to forge connections in this new land. But Evie toils as hard as Frank as they build a life together. While Evie has struggled to reconcile herself to not being a mother (due to Frank having had mumps during the war), everything changes when they decide to adopt.

After the War is an insightful read into the many real-life challenges faced by war brides emigrating to the other side of the world. It’s a captivating story, with well-drawn central characters.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Heritage Press